Note of What Has Gone Before: Concern over Torres' temper
caused Commander Chakotay to request that she begin meditating with Tuvok
to develop more emotional stability. These skills became useful during a dangerous
away mission on a radioactive freighter.

Seven's curiosity about human interaction nearly caused a fight
when she began discussing personal details of Torres and Paris' relationship
in the Mess. The Doctor proposed a solution, tutoring her in the rituals
connected with dating. His plans nearly ended when Seven discovered that
the Doctor and Paris had wagered over his chances of success. By the end,
the Doctor realized that he had fallen in love with her, a feeling she seemed
unwilling to reciprocate.

This unfolded during a diplomatic exchange with the Kadi, a culture
dedicated to restraint and celibacy, during which time Captain Janeway stayed
on a Kadi colony, and young Ambassador Tomin stayed on Voyager. Only the
intervention of Commander Chakotay prevented the ambassador from becoming
addicted to the power of sensation.

Captain’s Personal Log:

There are many days it seems, when I spend a lot of time with my
chin resting on my hands supported by my elbows trying to make sense of
the nonsensical while nodding ever so politely and appearing to be deeply
interested. At these times, the theories being so earnestly presented are
long and complex to the presenter. This is probably because they are not
aware of the central truth of the issue or they don’t want to face it. At
best, the logic behind the complexities is dubious.

First, there was the sudden contention that some sort of intervention
was necessary to help Torres control her temper. Not that her temper had
changed in any way during the past five years. I granted that she’d been
on edge over the last few weeks. I knew it was because she was negotiating
new boundaries with the Circle. Chakotay knew it as well.

Thus, as he was explaining the virtues of compelling the Lieutenant
to meditate with Tuvok, I knew he was assuaging his guilt over suggesting
that she come back to me. In the end, I went along with it. Meditation is
a useful skill for someone as mercurial as my Chief Engineer. No harm was
done and I was the recipient of a major amount of gratitude for my faith
in her leadership of the away mission.

She came to me after her sonic shower. I hadn’t approved initially,
but she assured me that Tom knew where she was and that he had consented.
Her attire was soft and attractive, but not provocative. Her demeanor was
contemplative.

"I’ve lost my place in your bed. Seven is much more intimate with
you now," she said. "I regret that."

"You regret it in moments, but you don’t need it."

"Mistress?"

"You must know by now how a Mistress functions in the lives of her
pets."

She thought for a moment. "You give them what they need."

"Yes."

"I don’t need you that way anymore?"

"No, pet. You need the Circle, but right now, you don’t need that
kind of support from me. You have someone for that intimacy," I said. "For
now, Seven is more vulnerable and uncertain of herself."

"Seven?"

"Yes… she is far more emotionally fragile than she seems. Often the
poor woman feels bad about something then feels bad because such feelings
are supposed to be irrelevant," I sighed. "She seldom knows consciously
that she needs help. There is so much that she has to learn about herself
and how she feels and thinks. It will be quite sometime before she possesses
your intuitive skills."

"You had not planned to train her as a Mistress?"

"Not for a very long time, if ever. Seven is more accustomed to following
orders. She performs well under direction," I said. "I am in no hurry to
change her position at my feet. As for you, sweet one, you craved my attention.
Serve me. Then take your hunger to your man."

"Yes, Mistress."

I relaxed under her hands. She knew what she had to do. A chilled
glass of wine was deposited in my hands to drink while she went to run my
bath.

I made no move which was in itself a signal that she would be doing
all of the work. The glass was removed from my hand with absolute care.

"May I remove your clothing?"

I nodded. "Proceed."

Her lovely hands moved with confidence freeing me from the garments
quickly without tearing anything. Chakotay could use the lesson. I spent
a lot of replicator rations replacing clothing sacrificed for the sake of
that man’s passion. I didn’t say anything to her. B’Elanna had an intent
expression and I didn’t want to break her concentration.

Soon I was naked on my couch lying on my stomach.

"I’ll begin with a massage," she said quietly.

"Hmmmmm," I said. That sounded lovely. It had been some time since
any one of my pets rendered my knotted over tired muscles to liquid under
talented hands.

"Music?" She asked.

"Please."

I let her choose. Then I drifted with the melody as she went to replicate
the warmed oil. She began with my feet. That was heaven. Her slender fingers
were strong and knowing. I figured it was all the Klingon fight training,
but it worked for this as well. She could have made me come from what she
was doing to my insoles, but she kept me just at a state of keen arousal.
I relaxed completely as the kneading moved up my legs. She gave my buttocks
special attention but did not linger unduly. By the time she turned me
over, I was nearly asleep. I made a mental note to have her do this for
me at least once a week.

The touch changed then. It was softer, more lingering and deliberately
arousing. She played with my breasts, firmly pulling my nipples to hardness.
Then she was sucking at them as those talented fingers sought out my clit
for attention. At that point, I lost myself in a pre-orgasmic haze. She
was licking down my abdomen her cool smooth hair trailing on my hot skin.
Then her mouth replaced the fingers between my legs. There were sounds filling
the room. It was me moaning. Ah well, I was rewarding her after all. And
what a reward it was. I came with a loud growl.

The vibrations were still going through me as B’Elanna cleaned me
then covered me with a light blanket. She kissed me and I savored my taste
in her mouth. She was trembling with need.

"Go to your man and ravish him, pet," I whispered. "We will be together
again soon."

She sighed with a little sadness. "Yes, Mistress."

The next occasion I had to sit with chin resting in palm watching
a fine song and dance was the Doctor’s plan to teach Seven about dating.

"I don’t mean to interrupt what is shaping up to be quite a presentation,
but I don’t understand why I’m involved," I said. "You’ve asked Seven.
She accepted the proposal. What more needs to be said?"

"Yes, but considering her involvement in your extra-curricular activities,
I thought it wise to seek your permission as well," the Doctor replied.
"After all, woe is thee who defies the Mistress."

It always amazed me how the Doctor could be so respectful and insulting
at the same time. I let it pass.

"I appreciate your consideration," I replied dryly. "But a good Mistress,
and I am very good, wants her pets to gain as much social grace and skills
as possible. Seven needs those skills. You have my support."

"I had no idea that such social structures prized etiquette and decorum,"
he said.

I began to reconsider my leniency towards him. The dear Doctor was
trying my patience.

"Decorum is even more important in social groups like mine. It avoids
problems like the confrontation in the Mess," I replied.

He was surprised that I knew. I was surprised that my pets had not
told me themselves.

"I see that we are in complete agreement."

"Absolutely and about more than you’d ever be comfortable with, Doctor,"
I replied. "You have my blessing. You would have my full cooperation if
I were going to be here."

"That may be just as well," the Doctor said. He looked terrified
when my eyebrow shot up to my hairline. "Oh, dear, that didn’t come out
well."

"No, it didn’t," I replied.

"I meant this endeavor may work better if she isn’t distracted by
the Circle," he said.

"I agree. Good luck."

With that I went back to focusing on my stay with the Kadi. For a
brief moment, I considered having Chakotay go in my stead. While I considered
him to be just as perverted as I, he was better at appearing deeply spiritual.
Alas, such an abdication of responsibility was not feasible. The Commander
and Tuvok did as much as they could to prepare me. And since the sash
of purity did not cause me to burst into flames, I figured that I could
muddle through the week without incident.

So I sat with my chin in my hands hours before I was due to depart.
This time I was watching Torres, Paris and Seven who alternately paced in
front of my desk in the Ready Room. I listened placidly to my Engineer’s
indignant blusterings about stalking and invasion of privacy. Her anger vibrated
throughout the room. Even Seven was affected by it. She looked a little embarrassed.

Now, I was very certain that B’Elanna knew that Seven was trying
to satisfy her curiosity about monogamous relationships the only way she knew
how -- empirical observation. And that curiosity was born out of her sessions
with Torres and Paris. I had no doubt that she was growing closer to them
and needed to figure out where she and the Circle fit in their relationship.
And I was certain that on some level Torres knew this as well.

I was also certain that the reason she reacted so badly to Seven’s
behavior was Tom’s response to the whole situation. He had been sporting
an erection throughout the explanations. I had no doubt that this was the
case during the initial confrontation in the Mess. My naughty Tom was once
again shaking up the mix -- and this time he wasn’t really trying.

"My sweet pets," I sighed. "This isn’t at all as catastrophic as
it seems. When I get back, I’ll straighten it all out to my satisfaction.

"Meanwhile, you are to be most civil to one another in my absence.
Am I understood?" I said sternly.

They all agreed.

I was back at my desk not even an hour after returning from the away
mission. This time it was Chakotay pacing in front of me in a state of
supreme irritation.

"Imagine my surprise to find Mistress Barrows in Sandrine’s about
to give the ambassador a blow job," he muttered. "And after… after you told
me she would not run her program."

"Well, that would be my fault for not being more specific," I said
with a shrug. "I’m sure that she didn’t run the Club program. But she doesn’t
consider herself a program, so visiting other places didn’t go against
my request -- technically. The Mistress does love a loop-hole."

"And her prize pupil knows it," Chakotay replied.

"I did. Of course, I did," I replied. "Nine times out of ten, the
Mistress will respect the spirit of the law as well as the letter. Thus,
I am reluctant to belabor the point with her. She undoubtedly found such
a budding hedonist irresistible. So would I."

"No doubt," Chakotay sighed. "There are times, Captain, when the
presence of the Mistress and all that is her realm makes my life just a
little too interesting."

I smiled at him. "Nonsense. I’m sure you handled the matter with
your usual aplomb. Actually, how did you handle it?"

I couldn’t imagine that it was easy to talk a man like that out of
a blow job from a determined Barrows.

"I convinced him that she was a programming anomaly liable to bite
it off," he said ruefully. "Needlessly to say, she’s not very happy with
me."

"Well, she is more likely to punish me, if only because I don’t share
you," I replied.

The Commander snorted at that. I couldn’t blame him.

There was one thing that I was certain about. No more meetings behind
my desk. No more passive contemplation. The next meeting would have the
participants naked and shackled. I was more relaxed already.

Thus, I assembled the entire Circle. Even Harry was amongst them.
He hadn’t done anything to court my ire, but I liked seeing him in shackles.
Besides, he was an excellent weapon to use against Tom who was, even at
that moment, stealing glances at the beautiful young man.

"What we have here," I said dryly. "Is a failure to communicate."

I strolled about them caressing their firm luscious bodies with the
tip of my riding crop thoughtfully.

"There is no doubt in my mind that given a cooling off period, the
proper setting and a bottle of wine, this difficulty would be settled amongst
yourselves," I said softly. "That would have been lovely, because then
I could be having multiple orgasms under any number of lips, hands or cocks.

"As it is, I must settle this in a manner which does not involve
the privilege of watching me in pleasure. That means that I get no pleasure,"
I said quietly. "Which will lead to suffering."

I freed Torres. "Your subject has displeased you with a wanton breach
of privacy and decorum. It must be corrected. You may use only the lash."

"Yes, Mistress."

Seven was unshackled from the post then positioned on a spanking
chair and re-shackled. The boys thus had a lovely view of that magnificent
ass and a little of her nether lips. They were giving the scene their undivided
attention.

Torres chose a strap about an inch in width and of medium thickness.
The beginning strokes were exploratory. She seemed more nervous than her
sessions with just Seven and me. I said nothing.

Seven was reddening on the areas being struck, but making little
or no noise. Torres upped the intensity of the strokes putting a little more
Klingon English behind them than she should have. I would have cried out.
Seven whimpered a little. The blush finally covered her face. I noticed
a stiffening in B’Elanna’s posture. Her strokes were sloppier and a little
more vicious than necessary. The Borg was brought to tears, but it was more
from the sting of the blows than from breaking through emotional walls.

Torres was breathing heavily after the last stroke fell. She caressed
the reddened flesh along Seven’s thighs, buttocks and back with interest,
but I knew that she wasn’t satisfied. When the shackles were released,
Seven immediately moved to B’Elanna’s feet.

"Thank you, B’Elanna."

"You’re welcome, Seven."

"On your knees beside me, B’Elanna."

"Yes, Mistress."

I approached the Borg who was kneeling with her head down.

"Now, Seven. You were transgressed by our much loved Mr. Paris, a
figure who looms in the background of many aspects of this melodrama. For
now, I am referring to his little bet with the Doctor."

I moved to caress Tom’s sweet face. "Very, very naughty."

I walked back to Seven. "You may punish him, but do no permanent
harm," I said.

"Yes, Mistress."

I moved back to my chair to watch keeping a calming hand on the center
of Torres’ back. The first surprise was her crawling over to where Tom
was shackled. Both men’s breathing became labored. It was a magnificent
sight. She then slithered up his body and took his whole cock in her mouth.
I wondered about the strategy behind this punishment, but I had to trust
in her very warped sense of humor.

Tom, being a very human male facing this remarkable stimuli, came
in very short order with a wonderful howl of frustration and ecstasy. A
split second later, Seven was on her feet with her breasts pressed against
his chest and her right hand cupping his testicles. I saw the movement of
her hand, but could not judge the strength of the grasp until Tom cried out
once more, this time in pain. Torres stiffened, but I cautioned her from
moving.

Seven remained expressionless. As soon as Tom opened his mouth, she
covered it with her own for a very open wet kiss. Even wetter than I’d first
imagined. Tom started sputtering and choking. He swallowed with difficulty.
I started to chuckle as Seven dropped back to her knees to crawl back to
me. She kissed my feet.

"Thank you, Mistress."

"You snowballed him."

"Yes, Mistress."

I shook my head. "I’ve made him taste his come, but I never made
him swallow it."

I petted her hair approvingly. Tom was red faced and cowed for the
moment.

"Let’s see. Torres has expressed herself as has Seven. Harry hasn’t
done anything that I know of," I ticked off out loud. "That must mean it’s
my turn to punish you all for the play I will not get this night. B’Elanna,
you first."

"Yes, Mistress," she whispered.

"Assume Seven’s position on the apparatus."

"Yes, Mistress."

I walked about her after she was in position. I stroked her lovely
skin. I petted her hair.

"There are some who would come to the Club seeking purely pain and
humiliation," I said conversationally as I began to paddle her ass lightly.
"I was trained to be proficient at this, but I had no passion for it. It
left me empty. Some of the Tops enjoyed it. There is a certain satisfaction
in being able to give someone what they need psychologically, but I needed
sessions to appeal to my hungers to be at my best.

"You were not satisfied with lashing Seven, B’Elanna."

There was silence until I gave a particularly powerful whack. "No,
Mistress."

"That’s because it was simply about the lashing. You weren’t heating
her skin and stimulating her nerves to the point that the slightest breath
across that vulnerable heat would cause shivers. You weren’t building
up the heat and the tingling to a point where she is so wet and ready that
one cleverly placed finger in that pussy would be enough to make her scream."

I worked on Torres making a reality of the lecture I was giving.
She was red faced and whimpering under the onslaught. I could see her wetness
glistening between her cheeks.

"You could have made her so hungry for you that she would have crawled
across broken glass to get release," I whispered smacking at her pussy
from behind. "Then, you deny her release as the true punishment. She would
then work hard to please you in the future to have the carnal attentions
from you she craves.

"You want her to want you, don’t you?" I demanded whacking the box
again. "You want her to want to beg you to eat her or to fuck her. You want
that power, don’t you?"

"Yes, Mistress!" Torres wailed.

"Good. Then, know the impact of such a punishment."

I walked away from her. She looked at me in dismay, but quickly recovered
crawling over to thank me properly. I left her on her knees.

"Seven, take my place on this chair and drape your legs over the
arms," I said rising from my place.

"Yes, Mistress."

"One of the best punishments pushes a subject beyond their comfort
zone into a place of pleasure they hadn’t imagined," I said while placidly
toying with Seven’s breasts as I stood beside the chair. "Like rendering
a person accustomed to a certain amount of reserve around her peers into
a quivering mess through pleasure. There is no real loss of face in breaking
down under a beating, but coming while being beaten off is more of a lose
of control."

I continued to toy with those magnificent nipples pulling on them
then rolling them and pinching them. They grew rock hard while Seven blushed
profusely. She had never come in front of an audience before. Those beautiful
eyes which seemed to be able to view anything with detachment, lowered under
the intense scrutiny as I began to mercilessly finger fuck her. At first,
she just whimpered attempting to endure the torment without much reaction,
but I continued to torture her nipples with one hand while thumbing her
clit and fingering her. She began to shift about nervously in the chair,
trying to hold back. I leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Resistance is futile."

Soon, she was humping against my hand moaning out loud. When she
came with a loud wail my hand was completely soaked. Seven kept her eyes
lowered, unable to look at the others. After a last taste, I wiped my hand
across Torres’ breasts.

I walked about the stunned group once again in contemplation. Tom
was nervous. He seemed to know that he was next on my list of suffering.

"My favorite kind of punishment is to give almost what my subject
craves," I said unshackling the pilot. He was compelled to his knees. I
urged him to arch his back. "Tom craves Harry. He also likes a good screw."

I unshackled Harry from the pillar but re-cuffed his wrists behind
his back. "B’Elanna, Seven, help Harry give Tom a proper screwing, but they
are not to touch in any other way save for the point of penetration. The
enjoyment of that sweet skin and those wonderful lips has to be earned."

Torres’ spread her lover’s cheeks after lubricating both men. Seven
guided Harry’s very interested member home and helped him keep his balance.
My stars, what a tableau that made. I was so wet from the sight. I suddenly
felt very sorry for the unsuspecting Commander as Harry pumped his splayed
friend with vigor. Tom was pushing back against him trying for as much contact
as possible. Harry came with a strangled cry. I almost came with him. All
four ended up in a panting heap.

"This evening could have been very different, pets," I muttered.
"Go to your quarters. You await my pleasure and remember the next time there
is conflict that I have trained you all to communicate with one another.
I will not use sessions to settle your disputes again."

They acknowledged my words then pulled on their clothing. I couldn’t
wait to have them safely away. I had my own raging hunger to satisfy.

I found Chakotay in his office studying a padd intently. He looked
up and smiled with surprise as I came in.

"Kathryn..." He murmured as he moved around to the front of the desk.
I didn’t give him a chance to say anything more.

In a swift and efficient movement, I opened his trousers to expose
his quickly hardening member then I shoved him up onto the desk. I was wearing
a loose fitting dress and no under garments. Thus, I was able to climb
up onto the desk, straddle the Commander and impale myself on him with very
little effort.

What happened in the next moments was an act of simple lust. I ravaged
his open mouth while gripping and pumping the delightfully thick shaft
with all my might. And that bastard, for all the passion that was in his
hungry kiss, kept those talented hips still. I worked my own breasts through
the fabric as I pumped him with all my might. He made me work for it, but
I didn’t care. I needed it and I was more than willing to take it from him.

The ride was wonderful. By the time I tightened around him in a convulsive,
shattering orgasm, I was drenched in sweat. He couldn’t hold out any longer
either. With a growl in my mouth, Chakotay finally moved. He pumped in
me a half dozen times then grew rigid. The cry was lost in the kiss which
never broke nor lessened in intensity.

When I released his mouth, Chakotay slumped backwards on his desk
staring blindly at the ceiling with his pants around his ankles. I climbed
off of him to rearrange my clothing.

"As you were, Commander."

"Stop by anytime," he mumbled vaguely. "My door is always open."

After a quick sonic shower, there was one more appointment I had
to keep. Mistress Barrows, our cyber busy-body, had pieced together enough
from the Doctor’s activities in the holodeck to realize that he may have taken
his time with Seven more seriously than the Borg had. The Mistress further
prevailed upon me to come along when I talked to him about it. I had some
misgivings given her generally dim view of the Doctor as a counselor, but
I had relented. In life, she had been one of the most intuitive beings I’d
ever known. She also had the advantage of being the same sort of entity as
the Doctor.

We invited him to Sandrine’s for a drink. He looked immediately apprehensive
as soon as he saw Mistress Barrows.

"An ambush?" He asked with an arched brow.

"Hardly," I replied. "We thought you could use some cheering up."

He sat down, but was not anywhere near relaxed. "That isn’t necessary.
I’ll be fine. It was a foolish notion to begin with."

"I don’t agree," I said. "I’m proof that a person can be enthralled
by a holoprogram. You are like Barrows, a living entity. Seven believes
this as well."

"How do you know that?"

"The thank you gift," I replied. "Someone with her analytical mind
would not have bothered with such a thoughtful gesture if she viewed you
merely as a program. She treated you as she would a flesh and blood crewman."

He considered that for a moment in silence.

"As to her decision to not continue dating for now," Barrows said.
"That young woman’s formative years were spent in a polygamous society.
Every being belonged to everyone else. She has a similar opportunity here
where the rules and rituals are not so complex and subtle.

"The Circle survives on clear and straightforward signals."

"She probably feels more comfortable with that than with all the
nuances of humanoid dating practices," the Doctor murmured. "I hadn’t thought
about that."

"You could have her any way you wanted her in the Circle," Barrows
said. "But I doubt you’d want all that would come with her."

"Misters Kim and Paris? I think not and I still don’t trust Torres
and her appendages." He let out a sigh. "I don’t think that I’ll be able
to monitor the sessions for a while either, so I’ll have to trust upon your
honor that you will play safely."

"Of course," Barrows said indignantly.

The Doctor let out a little chuckle. "I was soon going to explain
the whole concept of the ‘it isn’t you, it’s me’ break-up."

"It really wasn’t you, Doctor," I said.

"I know. That’s the painful irony. Even when it’s true, it doesn’t
make things any easier."

"It will in the long run," I said quietly. "When you decide to risk
your heart again."

He smiled wistfully at that. "Thank you ladies. I believe I’ll play
the piano for a while. Maybe the blues."

Barrows and I stayed a while and listened quietly. It had been some
decades since we spent a quiet evening together enjoying music. It had never
happened on Voyager. This was a rare and wonderful treat.

I wondered in that moment what in the world Starfleet would think
of me and a holoprogram counseling another holoprogram who was smitten with
a former Borg.

"I’d better enjoy times like these now," I thought wryly. "They may
never let me out of a straight jacket."